Collapsing cylinder bottom pin



p 1964 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 3,149,486

COLLAPSING CYLINDER BOTTOM PIN Filed April 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l mm" 27 2 12 3G 25 35 17' "H 3'6 38 29 x #3 S '5. IO, 37

INVENTORS FRED J RUSSELL GEORGE .B. \sOLOV/EFF BY 3% S ATTQENEVS Sept.22, 1964 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 3,149,486

COLLAPSING CYLINDER BOTTOM PIN Filed April 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TORS FRED J, RUSSEL ($50265 B. 501.0 l/IEFF B 342% 5 Zia/"MMA'FTOQNEY 5 villa/I111! United States Patent 3,149,486 CQLLAPSINGCYLINDER BGTTQM PIN Fred J. Russell, Los Angeles, Calif. (8635 Gtis St.,South Gate, aht.), and George B. Soloviefi, San Clemente, Calif; saidEoloviefi assignor to said Russell Filed Apr. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 274,7524 Elaims. (Cl. 70-384) The invention has reference to a selective keyingsystem, for example, as might be made use of during the constructionperiod of a building in order that locks can be installed early duringthe period of construction and be permitted to be used by constructionworkers with keys of limited applicability, but wherein later the keyingcan be easily changed to render the locks operable only by the ownerskey and no longer operable by the construction keys. Selective systemsof the type mentioned are useful in many and varied types of locks, buthave special application to pin tumbler locks.

Some construction key systems have been devised, but those heretoforeavailable are to a degree objectionable because of operating in suchfashion that a portion of the lock structure is mutilated when thechangeover is made. Others have the objection of making it necessary toprovide costly auxiliary apparatus in the lock device useful only duringthe construction period, the structure moreover being such that portionsof the added structure need to be carried permanently by the lock deviceat unwanted locations even though they are no longer useful. Others aresusceptible to accidental, unintentional changeover, and still othersrequire a construction which reduces the security of the lock,especially after changeover.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new andimproved selective key lock system useful as a construction key locksystem, especially adapted for use in pin tumbler locks, which is ofsuch character that even though a changeover has been made from oneselected key lock system to another selected key lock system, thechangeover will be such as to incur no radical change in what isotherwise a substantially standard lock construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved keylock system wherein no change need be made in the conventional tumblercasing parts to accommodate the unique principle which encompasses theinvention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedselective key lock system, whereby the keying arrangement can be easilyaltered upon the completion of some event like completion ofconstruction, the rekeying of the system being such that it is simple,positive and inexpensive, and at the same time capable of making certainthat only the authorized use of a re keying key can make the changeoverfrom construction setting to owner setting.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedselective key lock system which is made effective by altering the lengthof one of the drive tumbler parts when the changeover from constructionkeying to owner keying is brought about, the shortening beingaccomplished by a simple tool means momentarily inserted whichthereafter can be removed, leaving the shortened tumbler part operatingin normal fashion but necessitating a new key, such as the owner key,for its manipulation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of thedevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter setforth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

3,14%,486 Patented Sept. 22, 1964 "ice In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a cylinder housing partiallybroken away to reveal one form of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the device of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view partially broken awayshowing the location of parts and accessory devices immediately prior tochangeover from construction keying to owner keying.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the next step in thechangeover.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURES 3 and 4 showin a succeeding andfinal step in the changeover.

FIGURE 6 is a View similar to FIGURE 3, 4, and 5, showing the conditionof parts after changeover is completed.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in section showinga second form of the invention with the parts in the condition existingduring construction keying.

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 showing accessory parts inposition at the locations occupied upon completion of changeover fromconstruction keying to owner keying.

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURES 7 and 8 showing the condition ofparts after completion of owner keying.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line10-ll3 of FIGURE 7.

In an embodiment of the invention illustrated in particular in FIGURES1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, there is shown a lock tumbler cylinder assemblywhich consists of a cylinder housing 14 in which a key plug 11 isrotatably mounted. The key plug 11 has an outer flange 12 providing ashoulder 13 fitting over a face 14 of the cylinder housing It) and atthe opposite or inside end a collar 15 is applied to the key plug 11 tohold it in place. A cylindrical opening 16 through the cylinder housing10 rotatably contains a barrel portion 17 of the key plug 11.

Extending from one side of the key plug 11 is a pin tumbler housing 13running the length of the key plug 11 for reception of a plurality ofsets of pin tumblers like the set consisting of an inner drive pin 19and an outer drive pin 2% pressed into position by a spring 21. Boreslike an inner bore 22 in the key plug 11 and an outer bore 23 in thecylinder housing 18 are in axial alignment and accommodate the pins 19and 2h.

The forwardrnost of the sets of pin tumblers consists of an outer drivepin 25 and its spring 26 located in an outer bore 27 and a two-piecedrive pin consisting of an inner part 23 and an outer part 29, locatedin an inner bore 39 in the key plug 11. In this form of invention, theinner part 28 is a cylindrical pin having a recess 31 opening outwardly.The outer part 29 is a ball the circumference of which is slightlygreater than the diameter of the recess 31. The combined length of theinner part 28 and outer part 29 serves during the construction periodkeying as one of the pins of the endmost set of pin tumblers, and theconstruction key (not shown) is so cut that when inserted for openingthe lock, the point of engagement of the outer part 29 and the drive pin25 coincides with a shear line 32 between the key plug 11 and thecylinder housing 10. A construction key (not shown) is so cut that itwill move in a conventional fashion all of the sets of tumblers torelease position and at the same time move the two part tumbler 28, 29to release position by shifting the ball and the drive pin 25, asdescribed, to release position.

When the construction operation is finished and it becomes desirabie torender all construction keys no longer operable, use is made of a lockpin 35. For admitmaterials such, for example, as nylon or Delrin.

ting the lock pin 35, there is provided a hole 36 in the key plug 11which is exposed at a front face 37 of the flange 12. The hole 36extends inwardly into communication with the inner bore 30, and acontinuation 38 of the hole exists on the opposite side of the innerbore 39. The hle-36 and its continuation 38 are so located that when thetwo part tumbler 28, 29 is in the position it would occupy with no keyin place, a pointed end 39 of the lock pin-35 can find its way under theend of the outer drive pin and thereafter separate the outer drive pin25 from its engagement with the outer part or ball 29 as shown inFIGURES 4 and 5. By extending the lock pin into the continuation 38 ofthe hole 36, an effective blocking relationship is established.

Thereafter, a reset key 40 is extended into the appropriate conventionalkeyway 41 in the key plug 11. The reset key 40 has a cam face 42extending between an innermost end 43 and a flat land 44. The cam face42 is forced against the adjacent end of the inner part 28 and forces itupwardly. Since, during this operation, the outer part or ball 29 isstopped by the interposition of the lock pin 35, the ball cannot move;and therefore the inner part 28 telescopes over the ball or outer part29 so that it is forced into the recess 31 as shown in FIGURE 5. This ineffect changes the length of the two-piece drive pin of the forwardmostset of pin tumblers, making it a one-piece pin of shorter length. Thisaccordingly changes the keying. Thereafter, the construction key will nolonger be capable of unlocking the lock, and anew key such, for example,as the owners key, will be required to move the forwardmost set of pintumblers to release position. Thereafter, this will be the only keycapable of unlocking the lock, and there is no prospect of any rekeying,either accidental or intentional, Which can change the keying of thelock except by established rekeying methods.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URES 7, 8, 9, and 10,the cylinder housing 10 and key plug 11 are of the same construction andrelationship as has been described in the form of invention of FIG- URESl, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. In this form of invention, however, there is adifference in construction with respect to the two-piece pin tumbler ofthe outermost set of pin tumblers which consists of an inner part and anouter part 51 (see FIGURE 10). The inner part St) has a substantiallycylindrical recess 52 on the circumference of which are spaced annularinwardly extending beads 53 and 54. Preferably, the inner part 5% is ofsome appropriate firm but to a degree yieldable material such as one ofthe currently available synthetic plastic resin The outer part .51 (seeFIGURE 10). is preferably of metal and is provided with an extension 55of special construction. A flanged end 56 of .the extension 55 ininitial position is adapted to lodge between the beads 53 and the innerpart 59. With the inner and outer parts 50 and .51 in the relationshipshown in FIGURE 10, the twopiece pin tumbler of the endmost set of pintumblers, is relatively long as shown in FIGURES 7 and 10. This is thelength suitable tobe manipulated to release position by use ofaconstruction key (notshown). The construction key, as previously noted,is keyed so that it will lift all of theremaining sets of pin tumblers(not shown) to release position.

When this form of device is to be changed over from constructionkeyingto owner keying, the lock pin 35 is inserted in the same manner as hasalready been described in connection with FIGURES 1 through 6 inclusive.Once in place, the same reset key 4t) is forced into the keyway 41 aspreviously described. On this occasion, the

cam face 42 cams against the adjacent end of the inner part .50, forcingit upwwardly into telescoping engagement with the outer part 51 which isblocked from movement by the interposition of the locking pin 35.Forcing of the inner and outer parts 50, 51 together, as described,causes the inner part 50 and the beads 53 and 54 to yield sufficientlyto permit the flange 56 to override the bead 53 and lodge in the bottomof the recess 52. At the same time, the flange '58 overrides ,the bead54. When the flange 56 hits the bottom of the recess 52, theouter andinner parts will be collapsed to the newly. shortened length as shown inFIGURES 8 and 9. The reset key 40 is then withdrawn, as is also the lockpin 35. Thereafter, the construction key (not shown) will no longer becapable of unlocking the lock. Accordingly, .a new'vkey, .as forexample, the owners key (not shown) will be employed. The new key is cutso that it .is capable of'lifting the shortened two-piece tumbler 50, 51to release position when the other sets of tumblers are moved to releaseposition, thereby to unlock the lock.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that all the portions ofthe lock are maintained of substantially standardized construction, theonly variation being the provision of one two-piece pin tumbler. Thismerely changes in length at the changeover from construction keying toowner keying and becomes permanently a shorter pin without it beingnecessary to mutilate the lock in any fashion or to leave unwanted extraparts in the lock.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what isconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein butis to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any andall equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support ofLetters Patent is:

1. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinderhousing, a key plug rotatable in the cylinder housing and having akeyway therein, said cylinder housing and key plug having a plurality ofsets of bores and a set of movable tumblers in each bore for lockingsaid key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key insertedthrough the keyway at the face of the key plug, said sets of tumblersallowing rota tion of the key plug when each set of tumblers is in arelease position, one of said sets of tumblers including an outer pinand a two-piece inner pin comprising outer and inner parts, saidcylinder plug having a hole extending inwardly from the face into thebore which houses said two-piece pin, a stop member adapted to beinserted into said hole whereby to provide a divider and stop betweensaid outer pin and the two-piece inner pin, said parts of thetwo-piecepin having an axially telescoping engagement with each otherunder pressure, said twoened two-piece inner pin to a release position.

2. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinderhousing, a key plug rotatable in the cylinder. housing and having akeyway therein, said cylinder housing and key plug having a plurality ofsets of bores and a set of movable tumblers in each bore for lockingsaid key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key insertedthrough the keyway at the face of the key plug, said sets of tumblersallowing rotation of .the key plug when each set of tumblers is in arelease position, one of said sets of tumblers including an outer pinand a two-piece inner pin comprising axially aligned outer and innerparts, said cylinder plug having a hole extending inwardly from the faceinto the bore which houses said two-piece pin, said hole being adjacentthe outside end of the outer part of said two-piece inner pin, a stopmember adapted to be inserted into said hole whereby to provide adivider and stop between said outer pin and the outer part of saidtwo-piece inner pin, said axially aligned parts of the two-piece pinhaving an axially telescoping engagement with each other under pressure,said two-piece inner pin being adapted to contract in length uponinsertion of a compressing key member into the keyway to a location inendwise compressing engagement with the inner part of said two-pieceinner pin when the stop member is in place, whereby to change the keyingand prevent unlocking said assembly except by a new key operable to movethe shortened two-piece inner pin to a release position.

3. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinderhousing, a key plug rotatable in the cylinder housing and having akeyway therein, said cylinder housing and key plug having a plurality ofsets of bores and a set of movable tumblers in each bore for lockingsaid key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key insertedthrough the keyway at the face of the key plug, said sets of tumblersallowing rotation of the key plug when each set of tumblers is in arelease position, one of said sets of tumblers including an outer pinand a two-piece inner pin comprising outer and inner parts, one of saidtwo-piece inner pin parts being of yieldable material and comprising asubstantially cyl ndrical pin having a recess open at the outer end,said other of said two-piece inner pin parts comprising a ball having adiameter slightly larger than the diameter of said recess, said cylinderplug having a hole extending inwardly from the face into the bore whichhouses said two-piece inner pin, a stop member adapted to be insertedinto said hole whereby to provide a divider and stop between said outerpin and said two-piece inner pin, said two-piece inner pin being adaptedto contract in length upon insertion of a compressing key member intothe keyway to a location in endwise compressing engagement with thetwo-piece inner pin when the stop member is in place, whereby to changethe keying and prevent unlocking said assembly except by a new keyoperable to move the shortened twopiece inner pin to a release position.

4. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinderhousing, a key plug rotatable in the cylinder housing and having akeyway therein, said cylinder housing and key plug having a plurality ofsets of bores and a set of movable tumblers in each bore for lockingsaid key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key insertedthrough the keyway at the face of the key plug, said sets of tumblersallowing rotation of the key plug when each set of tumblers is in arelease position, one of said sets of tumblers including an outer pinand a two-piece inner pin comprising outer and inner parts, one of saidparts being of yieldable material and comprising a substantiallycylindrical pin having a recess open at the outer end and configurationmeans in said recess, the other of said parts comprising a substantiallycylindrical pin having an inwardly extending extension engageable withsaid one part, said extension having configuration means thereoncomplementary to the configuration means in said recess, saidconfiguration means being in engagement with each other at extended andat contracted positions of said two-piece inner pin, said cylinder plughaving a hole extending inwardly from the face into the bore whichhouses said two-piece inner pin, a stop member adapted to be insertedinto said hole, whereby to provide a divider and stop between said outerpin and the outer part of said two-piece inner pin, said parts of saidtwo-piece inner pin being moved from said extended position to saidcontracted position upon insertion of a compressing key member into thekeyway to a location in endwise compressing engagement with thetwo-piece inner pin when the stop member is in place, whereby to changethe keying and prevent unlocking said assembly except by a new keyoperable to move the shortened two-piece inner pin to a releaseposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,007,143 Keil July 2, 1935 2,232,017 Wilder Feb. 18, 1941 3,059,462Check Oct. 23, 1962 3,073,146 Patriquin Jan. 15, 1963 3,099,151 SchlageJuly 30, 1963

1. A LOCK TUMBLER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY OF THE KIND INCLUDING A CYLINDERHOUSING, A KEY PLUG ROTATABLE IN THE CYLINDER HOUSING AND HAVING AKEYWAY THEREIN, SAID CYLINDER HOUSING AND KEY PLUG HAVING A PLURALITY OFSETS OF BORES AND A SET OF MOVABLE TUMBLERS IN EACH BORE FOR LOCKINGSAID KEY PLUG AGAINST ROTATION AND ADAPTED TO BE MOVED BY A KEY INSERTEDTHROUGH THE KEYWAY AT THE FACE OF THE KEY PLUG, SAID SETS OF TUMBLERSALLOWING ROTATION OF THE KEY PLUG WHEN EACH SET OF TUMBLERS IS IN ARELEASE POSITION, ONE OF SAID SETS OF TUMBLERS INCLUDING AN OUTER PINAND A TWO-PIECE INNER PIN COMPRISING OUTER AND INNER PARTS SAID CYLINDERPLUG HAVING A HOLE EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE FACE INTO THE BORE WHICHHOUSES SAID TWO-PIECE PIN, A STOP MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED